Sides:Water
by Norah Strike
Summary: What if there was more than one reason Zuko changed? Its about Zuko's transformation through the eyes of his servant, Jani O/C. Part 1 coincides with Book 1:Water *summary sucks*
1. Iceberg and Returns

WESTERN AIR TEMPLE

TWO YEARS AGO. . .

Zuko stomped back onto his Fire Nation ship. He had just started his quest. . . and yet he had failed already. There was no proof of the Avatar hiding out at the Western Air Temple. Nor was there any clues as to where the Avatar would be hiding. Maybe he had missed something. . .

Zuko was furious. He ignored his crew and his Uncle Iroh. He couldn't bring himself to speak to them, any of them. Somehow he had found his way to his quarters. Once inside, Zuko let out a howl of fire out of his mouth, letting his fury unleash. More than anything in the entire world, he wanted his honor back. Only his father, Fire Lord Ozai, could redeem it. And the only way his honor could be redeemed was if Zuko could capture the Avatar, the last living airbender. Blinded by his frustration, Zuko ripped his ponytail out, which caused his long, black hair to fall down to his shoulders. He wasn't aware of his actions anymore. Picking up a worthless decoration, he chucked harshly near the door. As the decoration smashed into a million minuscule pieces, a scream erupted. The scream did not come from Zuko.

Zuko had not seen the girl enter his quarters. She was the one who had screamed. Zuko had almost caused the decoration to hit the girl on her skull. He saw her eyes widen in surprise, her mouth forming a perfect O. Zuko did not know who she was. Whoever she was she was obviously a servant to the Fire Nation. The servant girl was wearing a dull brown tunic and black pants. Her medium brown, shoulder length hair was hanging loose. Her expression of surprise turned to embarresment.

Zuko locked his golden hazel eyes to the servant girl's bright green ones.

After a moment of this, Zuko felt even more outrage.

How dare this petty, servant girl stare at him like this?

"GET OUT!" Zuko bellowed.

The servant girl bowed clumsily before scurrying out of his quarters.

SOUTHERN WATER TRIBE WATERS

PRESENT DAY

It has been over two long years that I have been on this wretched ship. I am yearning to go home, back to my family. Prince Zuko complains about not seeing his homeland for two years. I have not seen my own family since I was taken away from them when I was ten years old. I keep my heartaches to myself. Like I have kept everything to myself for these past five years.

It is morning and the morning air is freezing. Of course it is freezing, I am in the Southern Water Pole. I pull my thin cloak closer to my chest as I walk onto the ship's deck. I see Prince Zuko and General Iroh, the great Dragon of the West there. Prince Zuko mumbles something and points to something in the sky. I follow my gaze to where the prince is pointing.

A bright, perfect line of light is illuminating the sky.

The sight is so breath-taking I gasp.

Prince Zuko's voice has become full of excitement and urging. It has something I haven't heard in awhile. . . hope. There is hope in his voice.

**A FEW HOURS LATER. . . **

Prince Zuko has captured his precious Avatar. Prince Zuko is jubilent. As the Avatar is being lead to his prison cell I manage to catch a glance at him.

He is nothing but a young boy. Is the prince really that heartless?

The Avatar boy is short, bald, and has tattoos on his skull and arms.

I am scrubbing the kitchen floors when I hear a voice cry out,

"The Avatar has escaped!"

Chaos is everywhere. If the Avatar escapes completely from this ship, it means that none of us will be going home. I abondon my task and race to the deck. But I am too late. The Avatar has escaped on a flying bison with two Water Tribe companions. Prince Zuko and General Iroh aim a giant fireball at the bison. I was sure that the Avatar would be hit. Instead we are hit. The Avatar has deflected the gianormous flame with an airbending move. A gust of air makes the fireball smashed into an iceburg. The iceburg breaks off and smashes our ship. Prince Zuko stomps up to me since I am the only one not busy defrosting a Fire Nation soldeir.

"Get this cleaned up!" Prince Zuko barks.

Prince Zuko's voice always gives me tingles. So without arguement, I go over to the fallen ice.

Prince Zuko has asked the impossible. I am no Firebender. I am not even Fire Nation.

I am Earth Kingdom.


	2. A Dream and an Agni Kai

Prince Zuko orders the ship to be taken to a man named Commander Zhao. While the Prince and the General are away for many hours, I finally have time for myself for the first time in weeks. I spend the first two hours laying on my cot. I stare up at the ceiling, deep in thought. I think how about how if this floating prison wasn't made of metal I would Earthbend my way out of here and journey home.

_Home. _

Prince Zuko isn't the only person on this ship that dreams of home. Eventually, I feel my eyes droop and without knowing it I am asleep. . .

_I see the faces of my family. I see my mother. I see my father. I see my young sisters and brother. I am outiside with my two sisters, holding my toddler brother against my waist. My sisters and I are picking wild flowers when it _they _came._

_Fire Nation soldeirs. . . _

_The soldeirs used their firebending to light my village's homes on fire. Some soldeirs are on foot, others are on rhinos. I yell at my eight year old sister, Anju to take our baby brother from me. She is so scared, I can see it clearly in her bright green eyes. Then I tell Anju and Chise to warn our parents about the approaching Firebenders. They hesistate. I tell them run or I will Earthbend a boulder on their heads while they are sleeping. They run towards home._

_I take a defense stance as three Firebenders, one on a rhino, corner me against my neighbor's burning home. I may be ten years old, but I will not let these cowards take my family's home. The circle me, probably trying to imtimidate me. Truth was it was working. But I made myself choke down my fear. _

_"What are you waiting for?" I had yelled at the Firebenders. "More reinforcements to take down a ten year old?"_

_All three of their replies was a fireball aimed at my face. I use my Earthbending to make a wall of earth to shield me. One of the Firebenders comes up behind me and grabs my shoulder. On reflex I try to swat him away with my left hand. With my right hand I create a ball sized rock and chuck it at the Firebender's face. He moans in pain as the rock makes impact. _

_"Take the Earthbender!" I hear the Firebender on the rhino yell. _

_The last Firebender standing unleashes a fury of fire instantly. I have no time to react. I may be the best Earthbender of my age group, but I am no match against these Firebenders. _

_I fall to the ground. All the air in my chest is knocked out. I gasp, feeling tears creep out of the corners of my eyes. The Firebender on the rhino gets off of his rhino. He leans into my face. I will never forget the cruel gleam in his dark brown eyes. He takes my shoulders and lifts me over his own shoulders. I bang my fists against his back along with kicking my heels into his gut. He orders me to stop. I do not listen. He lifts me onto the rhino. As soon as he lets me go I attempt to make a run for it. He sees this and backhands me. I immediately feel the affect. My brain feels like it is on fire. I hear two things. One: the Firebender that captured me says that he is taking me to the ship. _

_The other: the sound of my siblings calling out my name in anguish. . . _

_Jani! Jani! Jani! JANI! _

"Anju. . . Chise. . . Daichi. . . "

I awake to the sound of myself calling out my siblings names. It seems that everytime I close my eyes all I see is their faces as they watch helplessly as I am being captured.

All those years ago. . .

My door bangs and I leap out of my bed to open my door. I open it too see my master.

"Prince Zuko," I said as I drop to one knee and incline my head.

"I need you on deck," Prince Zuko orders.

"Yes Prince Zuko," I said obediantly.

I follow Prince Zuko on deck. I see that the damages have been repaired. I wonder what I am doing here.

"Prince Zuko. . . ?"

Prince Zuko takes off his cloak and tosses it to me. I catch it. I am still wandering what we are doing here. The air is cold here, though not as cold as the South Pole's.

"I need you to help me train," Prince Zuko explains.

Prince Zuko is starting to draw fire up to his arms. I take a step back.

"Prince Zuko, I can not Firebend," I said.

He takes this as if I can't bend at all. It is better that he doesn't know about my Earthbending. He stares at me coldly for a moment and then tells me to go clean up his quarters.

I scurry away.

Later, I hear about how Prince Zuko winning an agni kai with Commander Zhao.


End file.
